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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

First Kiss Wednesday

Kisses are the mainstay of romance writing. No matter how sweet or spicy our stories are, they usually involve at least a kiss or two. And the first kiss is especially lovely - that first, soft touch of lips - or perhaps the kiss is fierce and hungry. Maybe the characters murmur words of love or words of teasing while discovering the texture and taste of each other. Maybe the only sounds they can emit are gentle, timorous moans or deep, throaty groans.

Okay, now that we've set the premise, here's what you can do for First Kiss Wednesdays. In the comment box, give us a maximum of 300 words of the first kiss of a published work or a work-in-progress and one link to your website or blog or Amazon Author Page.

Read and luxuriate in the glories of the first kiss...Oh, and lips only... ;-)

12 comments:

This kiss comes from my scorching break-out novel Hermes Online. Vivienne's soul was wounded from an especially bad breakup. While mired in depression and self-doubt, Vivienne gains a penpal. She sees a challenge in his emails and slowly begins to feel better about herself. In this scene, the man she only knows as S asks for a written kiss. Here's a truncated bit of her much larger email. ***********When one turns back, their faces will be mere inches apart. Their eyes, green and gray, will hold each other’s gazes, darting from one sparkling pupil to the other. They might unfocus to drink in the entire face for a second, perhaps lingering on the person’s smile before meeting the gaze once more, a gaze noticeably warmer than a moment ago. One face may turn a little, and in mirrored image, the other follows, only slightly tipped in the opposite direction. And the eyes ask the silent question as two thoughts become superimposed—“May I kiss you?”-“Will you kiss me?” The answer is subtle, missed by nearly everyone passing by, everyone save the smiling elder couple holding gnarled hands and assisted by their canes. Perhaps they, too, once shared a kiss sitting there, or plan to again later. But locked in their own world, they don’t notice the elder pair walk by. They are aware now only of each other, aware of little things, the flush on her cheeks, the gleam in his eye, the color of her moist lips, the imperceptible flare of his nostrils as he subconsciously reminds his body to breathe. They touch now. The kiss is at first soft, the lips asking permission for the firmness they crave. Another kiss grants this and another and another as faces turn to fit around chins and cheeks and noses. And then loose and pliable, those lips part now to make way for tentative tongues. These too begin their searching, gently at first then becoming bolder as they instinctively react to the warmth of each other’s mouths and thrust as hands cup cheeks and arms wind around shoulders, drawing each other ever inward into the private space that shuts the waking world out and lets the dream begin.

This kiss is from my debut, Hurricane Crimes, a romantic-suspense short story. I only shared the actual kiss and not what leads up to it or how it ends, you’ll need to read the story for those details. ;)

It is $1.99 on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00GVK921G

“His hand framed the side of her face and his mouth molded around hers. She could taste the sweetness of the baby carrots on his lips and something else, something dangerous. Her brain was telling her to pull back, to stop him. You could be kissing a murderer, your potential murderer! But what he was doing felt too good. Her lips were melting into his and he was drinking them like water. She sank into the kiss and let it take her away on its wings. Her right hand lifted and she combed her fingers through his rain-softened hair. A reluctant moan of surrender slithered up her throat as her mouth opened and her tongue slipped silkily against his. In the deepest recesses of his mouth, she tasted his distinct flavor and it was addicting. She couldn’t get enough of it. She was getting drunk. But like any alcoholic, she didn’t want to stop drinking.”

First Kiss - It's Christmas Eve and Marlis Holiday wants what she lost seven years ago, Burke Cragmoor. Marlis is willing to make an offer the handsome vampire can't refuse.

She whispered his name and Burke lifted his head. Their lips brushed, met, the first touches tentative, then fusing hot. He slid his hands into her pale hair and deepened the kiss. Her lips were soft, her mouth lush and her response passionate. His heart pounded, his blood hummed and his fangs ached, threatening extension. The years should have lessened the need, but the hunger long banked sparked to life.

How Do You Spell Love? by Zanna MackenzieCurrently on Sale for just 77p ($1 approx)

“So, how was your weekend with your parents?” Tom asked as he settled into a deckchair, looking every bit at home. Even in a suit.“It was good,” replied Summer, her back to him as she filled the little kettle from the bottle of mineral water she’d brought with her, searching for matches to light the small bottled gas stove. Now they were both here, alone within the cramped confines of the shed, she felt awkward. What could they talk about? The plants on the plot, yes. Work, possibly. Though, fully aware that there was some conflict potentially brewing on that topic, they usually steered clear of it. Should she tell him that Rob had moved out over the weekend? Should she query why he had been free on the weekend to work on the allotment? Where was Lucy whilst he’d been digging?“Summer.”She jumped and tried to turn to face him. It was then that she realised he was close. Very close. Standing right behind her in fact.“Summer,” he repeated. “Yes,” she just managed to utter.“Is there anything between us?” For a few seconds he was silent and Summer held her breath. “Or at least the potential for something between us?”So. The moment of truth. Summer could ignore the fact no more.“Summer?”Her back still to him, she replied, “Yes, there’s something.” Would now be a good time to admit about Rob leaving? But he was still with Lucy, wasn’t he? If she admitted she was no longer in a relationship but he still was…Before she could say anything else she felt his arms slip slowly around her waist, she felt him lean in close, a gentle kiss on her neck. Part of her screeched that this wasn’t right – she’d only just split from Rob and hadn’t, for want of a better phrase, yet achieved closure on their relationship. She wasn’t even sure how she felt about him leaving yet. Was she upset? Relieved? A bit of both perhaps?Tom kissed her again, this time on the opposite side of her neck. The goodie-goodie voice in her head continued to shout, this is wrong, this is wrong. He’s involved. It’s too soon.She chose to ignore the voice and turned in his arms, meeting his lips, kissing them hungrily. After a few moments he led her across to one of the chairs and gently pulled her down onto his lap.“There’s something you should know,” Tom said quietly.

“There you go.”“Thank you.” Reaching up, he tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear.Her breathing shallowed when his fingers grazed the side of her throat, caught as his other hand settled on her hip. Slowly her eyes raised, moved up his throat, past his dangerously tempting mouth, before she met his gaze and felt a punch of awareness.“You have the most beautiful eyes,” he said, and shifted just a little closer.Never had her eyes been called beautiful. Strange? Yes. Beautiful? Never.“They change color depending on what you’re feeling, did you know that?”“I…no.”“Right now they’re blue—a very pale blue. What does that mean, Isa? Tell me what you’re feeling right now.”Desire. Need, unlike she’d ever felt before. She’d had no idea how much she’d craved a physical touch, his touch. Her stomach fluttered. Her heart skipped a few beats. She slicked her tongue over her lips, and his hand flexed against her hip.“I have to know,” he murmured.“What?”“Your taste.”He slipped his hand from her hip to the small of her back, pulling her against him. Their bodies molded, soft to hard. His thigh slid between hers and desire curled her toes, tightened her nipples into hard, aching points. And still, he didn’t kiss her. Why didn’t he kiss her? Then he did. Finally, he did. He teased her lips with his tongue, and she opened to him, drank in his dark seductive flavor.

Sue’s heart picked up, her pulse pounding like a drum.“I’m sorry I said I wouldn’t be Santa for the kids. That was wrong of me. If Janice needs me, of course I’ll do it.”The words came out quickly, as if bursting from behind a dam, and Sue had a sense they cost him greatly. But his handsome face held no trace of strain, and heeven managed to flash a smile as he completed his statement.“Thank you!” Sue was so relieved, for herself, for the children, and for Janice, that she’d flung herself at him before she remembered that she didn’t know him well enough to be thanking him that way. She’d planned, if she’d planned at all, to give him a chaste peck on the cheek.Somehow he hadn’t been where she expected, and now his strong arms enveloped her and his warm lips brushed hers, setting her heart, which had barely recovered its steady pace, fluttering again. The kiss lasted just a moment, but the feeling of warmth spread from her lips to warm her through, despite the chill of the frosty morning.“Friday, then?” he said, setting her back on her feet with a calm movement of his muscular arms.“Friday,” she echoed, hating the knowledge that the days in between would drag as her busy days with her daughter had never done before.

This is the first kiss between Kaily and Dylan, my heroine and hero in SANTA BABY, SEVERAL STARS AWAY ~ A Short Shapeshifter Erotic Romance ~

''You're about to learn everything you need to know about me, Kaily. Right now." His masculine purr fired all of her jets, while his gaze devoured her with a passion she'd only seen in the movies. Kaily felt her breath disappear...somewhere. ''Right now, she echoed, her tone an invitation. Omygawd, her lips pleaded for the feel, the taste of his. Her only other experience with this level of feverish desire had been in High School. Billy McShea. Oh yeah, Billy had finally kissed her behind the stands at a football game. One long sinful and dreamy locking of their mouths, a kiss that had seduced her lips and her virgin body. However, he'd never touched her again. Even though, he hadn't exactly avoided her, Billy would look at her as if she was a temptation forbidden to him. So, Kaily stuffed down her angsty pain, and kept her distance. When Billy married one of the cheerleaders, then left town, she realized she hadn't been part of his life's plan. Goodbye, Billy. Hello to the slow, slow descent of her mystery man's beautifully carved, oh-so handsome mouth. To Kaily, it felt as though Dylan deliberately prolonged the moments before their lips touched because it increased his pleasure, and because it heightened her to a burning want. His mouth alighted on hers, the sensation feathery. Then, he rested his lips on hers softly yet firmly. The texture of his mouth, and the wintry coolness thrilled through Kaily, awakening her body, all of her senses—passionately blistering her insides.Ding, ding, ding...we have a winner, she thought. Gradually, beautifully, his kiss deepened, his mouth becoming a large dominant force on top of hers. So dominant, she could only succumb, and wish for more. So much more. Please...oh, please. ~~~

This is the first kiss between Danielle (Dani) and Lee in my short story GRANTING HER WISH which is part of TIMELESS KEEPSAKES: A COLLECTION OF CHRISTMAS STORIES.

He didn't move away, so she turned her head.Her world had turned upside down. She was still shaky. Unsure. Except about him. If anything made sense in this whole mess, it was him.Their noses grazed. She tilted her head and brushed his mouth lightly with her own. Just enough to tickle.She couldn't help herself. He froze, but she let her lips linger.Her gamble paid off. That slight touching of lips wasn't enough for him, apparently. He wrapped an arm around her back, bringing her tight against him. The little bag he held bumped against her butt. His other hand went to the base of her neck and tilted her head back as he took her lips with surprising passion.Surprising, but welcome. She responded with equal fervor. She'd wanted to do this since he'd first helped her up off that sidewalk and supported her all the way to the hospital. Breathing heavily, she broke off the kiss then rested her head against his chest. "I thought you weren't interested."

This is the first kiss between the hero and heroine in my debut novel, TIME FOR LOVE, a time travel romance.

He looked younger and carefree with his face relaxed in sleep. She sat next to him and tenderly brushed a lock of hair out of his face.Or, at least, that was what she meant to do, but the ship hit another massive wave, and she lost her balance, pitching forward to land straddled across his body, her face inches from his. She watched his face breathlessly before trying to wiggle off him when he didn’t open his eyes.As she started to move, a small smile spread across his sleeping face. He shifted slightly so she lay more comfortably across him, reaching up a hand at the same time to grasp the back of her neck. Then he slowly brought her lips to his as she froze in panic and perhaps a twinge of anticipation.His hand on the nape of her neck was cool, and while he exerted enough pressure to move her forward, it felt more like a caress than force. In contrast to his hand, his mouth blazed with heat. She tasted the salt of the sea on his rough, chapped lips and practically melted into him.The kiss started slow and slightly hesitant, as if he were unsure whether it would be welcome. When she yielded and her mouth opened with a sigh of pleasure, he deepened the kiss. The touch of his tongue, first against her lips and then upon her tongue, stoked the fire within her.He started to roll over, but the comforter caught between them, preventing the movement. As he tried to free himself, his lips slid off hers, and Alex, coming to her senses, leapt from the bed, narrowly avoiding the arms that reached for her a second too late.

GULL HARBOR by Kathryn Knight - This is the first kiss between Claire and Max since he disappeared from her life 5 years ago, with no explanation:

She shook her head vigorously. “I can’t spend your money to do my job. That makes no sense.”

“It’s not about that, Claire. It’s about keeping you safe.” He closed the distance between them, setting off alarm bells in the back of her mind.

Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath. “I realize you’re trying to help me, and I appreciate that. But what gives you the right to worry about my safety?”

“I don’t need the right.” He stood over her, and she took a step backwards, bumping up against his desk. His words shouldn’t have sounded menacing, but for some reason, they did. She nodded weakly.

“I am going to keep you safe, Claire,” he said, his eyes flashing. He reached out and stroked her arm.

A shiver ran through her, and she gripped the edge of the desk for support. “Okay,” she breathed. Every nerve in her body was calling for him. She closed her eyes as his hands moved up to cradle her head.

His mouth seized hers, and her lips responded urgently. She lost herself in the kiss, her fingers weaving themselves around his neck and tangling in his hair. His hands moved to her waist, and she gasped as he hoisted her up on the desk.

He pressed his hips between her legs, and she clenched her thighs around him as a moan escaped her lips. His mouth trailed along her jaw line, grazing her ear as he whispered her name.

When Sezri is MIA, Calix’s duty is to wait out the holiday and hopes she survives. But the heart doesn’t always listen to the head, and putting his career on the line is the least of his fears.

When these two come together the rules of engagement no longer apply.

First Kiss

Sezri had no idea how long she lay in Klatt’s arms, but as each moment passed her awareness of him increased. She knew he was fit, but she’d never felt his hard-muscled strength firsthand. Her leg lay over his thighs, her breasts rested against his broad chest, and she found the feel of his six-pack abs irresistible. She ran her fingers up and down the center of his chest, each caress taking her closer to the belt resting low on his belly.

Unable to resist the temptation of him, Sezri pressed her lips to his right pec.

He turned his head. “What’s on your mind, Sezri?”

She tilted her head back and looked at him. “I’m glad you’re here. Really glad.”

“Feeling those painkillers?”

She reached up and forked her fingers through the dark strands of his hair and cupped his head. Part of her wished it was the painkillers. Then if things didn’t go so well between them she could excuse what she was about to do.

Sometimes you have to run for the objective and hope you don’t take a bullet. She pulled his head toward hers. “This has nothing to do with painkillers.”

Their dark outfits made a spectral blend, poised to melt into each other. The non-verbal was sustained, as they mentally undressed—first each other, then themselves, down to their bathing suits, at the water's edge, ready for the plunge.

***

She gave him a sustained gaze. "Hmm, hope I'm not being intrusive. I've been keeping an eye on you in the swimming pool for some time. You're looking really good now—got into swimming well . . . must admit I was a bit worried about you before . . .”"I just had to come in the water with you. And then, when I saw you at the art class, I was just dying to pose for you. I was secretly longing for the model not to turn up so that I would have my chance."Janice unbuttoned Cedric's jacket, felt his shoulders and his chest. "You've got your body in trim and you can really carry yourself in trunks. Clothes look good on you, but your height of fashion is around your loins."* * * *Elation welled up in them both. Chemistry and magnetism made their chain-reaction, slowly edging their heads towards one another, lips meeting eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, chins, each other. Two deep-drawn breaths were held for an ecstatic clinch with tongues. Her hand rose to his crown, massaged him through that full, drawn-out embrace.His left hand unbuttoned her jacket, feeling her shoulder pressing from waist to hip. Breeze-like, his right raised her skirt, to rest on her thigh as high as was aesthetic at that moment. Her centre took the signal, hips pressing forward. The two of them had dived and surfaced in love's stream. Aquiver, they drew back."You're so lovely," he panted, "I want to see you undressed."